Investment in personnel training as a factor of economic growth for coal mining companies: a comprehensive efficiency analysis

The modern coal mining industry operates in the conditions of high competition, technological transformation, and toughening of the environmental requirements, which places increased demands on the personnel qualifications. This study aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the economic effects of investments in personnel training in the coal mining sector. An assessment was made of the impact of various corporate training models on the economic indicators and labor productivity using data from 37 Russian coal mining companies. The research methodology is based on the integration of the quantitative methods (fixed effects regression analysis, instrumental variables method, ROI training assessment, multivariate factor analysis) and qualitative approaches (structured interviews, expert assessments, content analysis of corporate documentation). The research results demonstrate that enterprises investing more than 5% of their labor compensation fund in systematic personnel training show a productivity growth of 17.3% in a three-year perspective, while reducing accident rates by 23.8% and specific energy consumption by 13.6%. A strong correlation (r = 0.76, p < 0.001) was found between the implementation of multilevel training programs and the reduction in turnover of qualified personnel. It has been established that the blended learning model demonstrates the highest economic efficiency with the ROI coefficient of 245% compared to 178% for the traditional formats. A predictive model has been developed to optimize the structure of investments in training, taking into account the specific features of the enterprise and market conditions. The research results expand the theoretical understanding of the mechanisms of human capital influence on the economic indicators in resource-producing industries and offer practical tools for managerial decision-making.